Cellist Yo Yo Ma, who has performed twice with the USC Thornton Symphony, at a reception with Steven Sample.

Issue: Summer 2006

President’s Page

By Steven B. Sample

In the leadership class that I co-teach with Professor Warren Bennis each spring, I often tell my students that I believe all educated people should be fluent in at least two languages – English and calculus. Those fluent in English can communicate clearly and coherently about literature and the arts and humanities. Those who speak calculus can learn practically any science or technology with relative ease.

We live in an age in which the disciplines that comprise the arts and humanities have become estranged from the disciplines of science and technology. In the 1950s, C. P. Snow, a British researcher and novelist, described scientists and literary intellectuals as belonging to “two cultures” which were unable to communicate with each other. We all recognize the truth in Snow’s observation. We all know of literary graduates who are essentially ignorant of basic scientific principles, and of technologists who know little about Shakespeare.

Although the sciences have become estranged from the arts and humanities, we long for the reconciliation between these two cultures, where scientists and non-scientists can sit at the same table and speak to one another. USC has long been dedicated to fostering the reconciliation between the sciences and the arts and humanities. While our university is renowned for its innovative research, we are also committed to providing a classical education in the liberal arts. As other research universities have required that their students become increasingly specialized, we have expanded our palette of minors, encouraged our students to develop breadth with depth, and created our Renaissance Scholars program.

At USC we recognize that science and technology have dramatically changed our world, and will continue to do so in the decades ahead. However, we believe that in the future our greatest challenges will likely not be scientific or technological, but rather political, cultural and even ethical. Difficult decisions in the areas of international relations, biomedical engineering and environmental conservation will require knowledge of history and philosophy as much as proficiency in science and technology.

While science and technology have transformed the world around us, the arts and humanities transcend the perceptions of the world that reside within us. The arts and humanities are like intellectual amber, preserving the great truths from our past and offering insights into the challenges of the future. Our new provost, C. L. Max Nikias, has said, “The arts and humanities are our teachers. They help us discern what it is to be fully human, making our souls visible to us and illumining our way. They enable us to observe life’s challenges and opportunities with new eyes.”

Now USC is making an unprecedented commitment to bring the arts and humanities to all students. Last fall Provost Nikias unveiled the future of undergraduate education at USC when he announced a university-wide arts and humanities initiative, which is known as Visions and Voices: The USC Arts and Humanities Initiative. Beginning this fall, USC students from every discipline will have the opportunity to attend events ranging from plays and concerts to film festivals and art exhibitions. After each event, our students will be able to reflect on the presentation by interacting with the people who developed the program or performance.

I encourage our students to take advantage of these great learning opportunities, especially those disciplines that are widely separated from their major field of study. A college campus is a unique place to mature as a person, as a scholar, and as a citizen of the world. We believe that our focus on the arts and humanities will not only enhance the educational experience at USC, but also enrich the lives of all of our students.